AbstractCults appear to be as active in Argentina as in most European countries. At the end
of 1992, 2,986 distinct religious movements had been registered with the Ministry of Cults
and Foreign Affairs. Although "cult"
has a less pejorative connotation in Argentina than in the United States, many of these
registered groups are probably cults according to the usual definition of the term in the
United States. The SPES Foundation (Servicio Para el Esclarecimiento en Sectas) is a
professional organization founded to help deal with this problem. In 1992 the SPES
Foundation responded to 1,745 inquiries. Argentina's cult situation differs from that of
Europe in three ways. First, in Argentina large numbers of "pentecostal" groups
are so psychologically manipulative that they can be considered cults. Second, Argentina
has had an influx of Afro-Brazilian cults not seen in Europe. And third, in Argentina
there is much less understanding of the problem and more reluctance to take concrete
action against it.